Hubby and I have actually been sticking to our workout plan and using the new "toy" in the basement regularly. Three days a week for half an hour. Next week it bumps up to about 45 minutes. I lift weights and do aerobics between sets and while waiting for him to do his sets. Jump rope, jumping jacks, knee lifts, jogging in place, plyometrics, sit ups on the ball, lunges, etc. It's a start. I'm walking on the "off" days plus I have all the outdoor chores that do require some effort and I ride. So, I'm burning calories. I'm sweating.
I'm on a 1,200 calorie a day diet which we started almost three weeks ago, along with the exercising. It's been tough for me as I've had to eliminate creamer and sweetener from my tea and my coffee and switch to plain, no-fat yogurt instead of all the exciting flavors I enjoyed before. We use no butter, no white bread, no white rice, no sugar, no pasta, very, very little cheese. I cook everything from scratch (I always have) and cut out the canned veggies (too much salt). And of course, people at work always bring something bad in (chocolate, cookies, bagels with cream cheese, etc. etc.) to tempt me. I've been GOOD! I indulged in ONE (yes ONE!) peanut M&M yesterday. That's it. I keep a food diary and have been using measuring cups for EVERYTHING so I know exactly what I'm eating. There isn't any guessing going on here. A serving is measured and the calories tabulated and added to the online diary so I can keep track of intake.
He has lost around 4 pounds, which is right where he's supposed to be. Me. Half a pound. Half. A. Freaking. Pound. Why do I bother? Why do I keep trying when obviously it doesn't work for me and obviously, I'm meant to be fat? Do I need to go to a 900 calorie a day diet and work out EVERY day, twice a day?
Yes, I'm frustrated. I'm frustrated and hungry and muscle sore. But, no pain, no gain, right? *sigh*
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Monday, November 10, 2008
Chilling our buns
The Hubs and I are having a little contest, with ourselves. We're attempting to see how long we can go before we turn on the furnace. So far, so good. Sunday was chilly and windy so we kept the fireplace blazing all day long. I think we burned an entire tree yesterday! Don't worry, it was a dead tree that was already on our property. It had to come down, didn't cost us anything aside from the labor and the gas for the chainsaw and we didn't take down a live tree. The house stayed at a very comfortable 65 degrees all day, and even felt overly warm at times. Sure, it gets a tad bit chilly at night and mornings aren't exactly pleasant when you have to climb out of a warm cocoon of covers into the chilly air, but the temperature isn't unlivable.
Why are we freezing our buns off? Well, because. We heat our house with propane. This year it cost nearly double to fill our propane tank and when we run the furnace, we are burning not only propane, but running up the electric bill. When you total the two together, we could easily spend $300 a month to keep the house warm. It just hasn't really been cold enough to justify that cost. We all have sweaters and I have more blankets than we could possibly ever use at once.
I personally believe most Americans keep their homes way too warm in the winter and way too cool in the summer. I like the temperature to be around 62 in the winter and 78 in the summer. I'm comfortable at those temps. I've walked into people's homes in the winter and immediately started SWEATING. Eighty-degrees in the winter in your home is TOO HOT. Imagine all the resources being used up just so you can wear shorts and a t-shirt in the middle of January. Did you know in many other countries, homes don't even have central air? Space heaters are the way to go...there isn't much sense heating the whole house when you and your family are in one room, right? When you change rooms, you move the heater. That makes sense! We may end up investing in a couple of space heaters, so even when we DO turn the furnace on, we can keep it low, low, low to keep the propane use down and the space heaters can take a majority of the chill off.
So, we're going to see how long we can go without flipping on the furnace. I'm aiming for the end of November, but we'll see how things stack up.
Why are we freezing our buns off? Well, because. We heat our house with propane. This year it cost nearly double to fill our propane tank and when we run the furnace, we are burning not only propane, but running up the electric bill. When you total the two together, we could easily spend $300 a month to keep the house warm. It just hasn't really been cold enough to justify that cost. We all have sweaters and I have more blankets than we could possibly ever use at once.
I personally believe most Americans keep their homes way too warm in the winter and way too cool in the summer. I like the temperature to be around 62 in the winter and 78 in the summer. I'm comfortable at those temps. I've walked into people's homes in the winter and immediately started SWEATING. Eighty-degrees in the winter in your home is TOO HOT. Imagine all the resources being used up just so you can wear shorts and a t-shirt in the middle of January. Did you know in many other countries, homes don't even have central air? Space heaters are the way to go...there isn't much sense heating the whole house when you and your family are in one room, right? When you change rooms, you move the heater. That makes sense! We may end up investing in a couple of space heaters, so even when we DO turn the furnace on, we can keep it low, low, low to keep the propane use down and the space heaters can take a majority of the chill off.
So, we're going to see how long we can go without flipping on the furnace. I'm aiming for the end of November, but we'll see how things stack up.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Who came up with this Toothfairy crap?
Worst. Mom. In. The. World. Right here. Worst. You know that worst feeling. Like if someone stepped on your face right now with dog poo stuck to their shoe it would be quite alright because you DESERVE it.
I forgot to play the Toothfairy Wednesday night. Forgot. Yup. Just like that. My youngest loses a tooth and of course she's SO excited about it. And the Toothfairy rejected her enamel offering. Just failed to show up.
Talk about a dejected little girl. Thursday morning she moped into my bedroom and flopped onto my bed, her sweet little morning-soft face turned down in a cloudy day frown.
"What's wrong, honey?"
"The Toothfairy didn't come get my tooth. I don't think she likes me."
*panic* *quick! THINK! THINK!*
"Umm, where was your tooth?"
"Under my pillow."
"Was it in anything?"
"No," she said cautiously.
"Well, that explains it!" I exclaim.
She looks at me puzzled.
"Don't you see!" I said. "Your tooth is so itty bitty and your pillow so huge she probably just couldn't find it. Why don't you stick it in an envelope and try again tonight, okay?"
She thinks about it for a moment and that explanation makes complete sense to her little 7-year-old brain.
"Ok!"
Tooth in envelope. Envelope under pillow Thursday night. Toothfairy on the prowl, determined not to make the same moronic mistake again. Pretty proud of herself for remembering the tooth this time. The Toothfairy digs into her wallet...
*panic* *panic*
"HONEY!" I holler at my hubby when I realize I have NO CASH! "Do you have any money?"
"Umm. No."
Oh. Crap.
My husband and I tore the house apart looking for change. How pathetic. We even considered borrowing from Unruly's money jar to fulfill her Toothfairy dreams. We are awful parents.
I found a half dollar piece under a layer of dust in our bedroom. He scrounged up a few quarters from the floor of his car. I found two more quarters hiding in my purse. We were saved!
A much, much happier toothless child woke up this morning jangling her $1.50 in scrounged up change in a little manila envelope.
"Mom! The Toothfairy CAME!! She remembered me!"
Score!
I forgot to play the Toothfairy Wednesday night. Forgot. Yup. Just like that. My youngest loses a tooth and of course she's SO excited about it. And the Toothfairy rejected her enamel offering. Just failed to show up.
Talk about a dejected little girl. Thursday morning she moped into my bedroom and flopped onto my bed, her sweet little morning-soft face turned down in a cloudy day frown.
"What's wrong, honey?"
"The Toothfairy didn't come get my tooth. I don't think she likes me."
*panic* *quick! THINK! THINK!*
"Umm, where was your tooth?"
"Under my pillow."
"Was it in anything?"
"No," she said cautiously.
"Well, that explains it!" I exclaim.
She looks at me puzzled.
"Don't you see!" I said. "Your tooth is so itty bitty and your pillow so huge she probably just couldn't find it. Why don't you stick it in an envelope and try again tonight, okay?"
She thinks about it for a moment and that explanation makes complete sense to her little 7-year-old brain.
"Ok!"
Tooth in envelope. Envelope under pillow Thursday night. Toothfairy on the prowl, determined not to make the same moronic mistake again. Pretty proud of herself for remembering the tooth this time. The Toothfairy digs into her wallet...
*panic* *panic*
"HONEY!" I holler at my hubby when I realize I have NO CASH! "Do you have any money?"
"Umm. No."
Oh. Crap.
My husband and I tore the house apart looking for change. How pathetic. We even considered borrowing from Unruly's money jar to fulfill her Toothfairy dreams. We are awful parents.
I found a half dollar piece under a layer of dust in our bedroom. He scrounged up a few quarters from the floor of his car. I found two more quarters hiding in my purse. We were saved!
A much, much happier toothless child woke up this morning jangling her $1.50 in scrounged up change in a little manila envelope.
"Mom! The Toothfairy CAME!! She remembered me!"
Score!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Up yours, OPEC!
Bills are up. Gas bill. Food bill. Electric bill. It's just costing more and more to live, especially if you have a family with school age kids. I'm taking the girls school shopping tomorrow and I am not looking forward to that bill! Whatever happened to just needing Crayons, glue, paper and pencils for school? Now we need dry erase markers, washable markers, colored pencils, Ziploc bags, antibacterial wipes, Germ-X hand sanitizer and a variety of 2-pocket folders along with all the other "necessary" school supplies. Oh, and new clothes. Can't forget the new clothes for both girls. It's no wonder I'm still wearing 4-year-old shoes with very little sole left.
Anyway, with bills continuously climbing but our paychecks staying the same, Hubby and I decided we needed to do something NOW before it gets out of control. I think I mentioned before I was spending nearly $600 a month on gas for my truck. Yes, you read that right $600. Insanity! I was almost to the point where I was paying for the opportunity to come to work every day, rather than the other way around.
Last week we started carpooling in his car, which is much, much better on gas than my truck. I think we've spent right around $50 in gas so far, which is a far cry from the nearly $200 I was spending a week. Sure, we have to leave the house by 6 a.m., but it's actually been kind of nice not only sharing the drive time, but also nice having an extra two hours every day with each other.
In anticipation of outrageous propane bills this winter to keep our house warm, Hubby is building a solar heat exchanger to put on the roof of the house. I'm not entirely sure how it works, but basically, it gathers heat from the sun, which heats the air in the exchanger. The heated air is then pumped into the house via a solar-powered intake fan. Cooler air from the house is pumped back into the exchanger to be heated by the sun. It's a non-stop cycle. We'll see how well it works. He's pretty excited about it, and, if it helps keep costs down, I'm all for it. We are also looking into installing a wood-burning stove in the living room. We have a fireplace in the family room and it keeps that end of the house pretty warm, but it's not enough to warm the other half of the house. For the price of a tank of propane (which usually lasts us about two months) we can have a wood-burning stove installed. Add the solar heat exchanger to that, and we may see our lowest heating bills ever.
We've researched a wind turbine to generate electricity for us and would like to have one installed, but, at this point, it's a tad bit cost-prohibitive at about $23,000. One day...
It sure will be nice to have an "extra" $600 a month to get some much-needed house remodeling projects done! And, I've got my little eye on a new horse trailer, too. Hehe!
Anyway, with bills continuously climbing but our paychecks staying the same, Hubby and I decided we needed to do something NOW before it gets out of control. I think I mentioned before I was spending nearly $600 a month on gas for my truck. Yes, you read that right $600. Insanity! I was almost to the point where I was paying for the opportunity to come to work every day, rather than the other way around.
Last week we started carpooling in his car, which is much, much better on gas than my truck. I think we've spent right around $50 in gas so far, which is a far cry from the nearly $200 I was spending a week. Sure, we have to leave the house by 6 a.m., but it's actually been kind of nice not only sharing the drive time, but also nice having an extra two hours every day with each other.
In anticipation of outrageous propane bills this winter to keep our house warm, Hubby is building a solar heat exchanger to put on the roof of the house. I'm not entirely sure how it works, but basically, it gathers heat from the sun, which heats the air in the exchanger. The heated air is then pumped into the house via a solar-powered intake fan. Cooler air from the house is pumped back into the exchanger to be heated by the sun. It's a non-stop cycle. We'll see how well it works. He's pretty excited about it, and, if it helps keep costs down, I'm all for it. We are also looking into installing a wood-burning stove in the living room. We have a fireplace in the family room and it keeps that end of the house pretty warm, but it's not enough to warm the other half of the house. For the price of a tank of propane (which usually lasts us about two months) we can have a wood-burning stove installed. Add the solar heat exchanger to that, and we may see our lowest heating bills ever.
We've researched a wind turbine to generate electricity for us and would like to have one installed, but, at this point, it's a tad bit cost-prohibitive at about $23,000. One day...
It sure will be nice to have an "extra" $600 a month to get some much-needed house remodeling projects done! And, I've got my little eye on a new horse trailer, too. Hehe!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Oh, my
I figured I'd better log in and post before I forget my password!
Summer is so, so busy for me. By the time I get home from work, do my outside chores, play with my horses and my kids and do the inside routine, it's almost 10 p.m. and all I want to do is hit the hay! Rain rain rain and more rain has kept the pastures, field and lawns deliciously green...but also growing at an uncontrollable rate. I never thought I'd get sick of mowing...but I'm getting sick of mowing. My 8-acre field is gorgeous with a variety of colorful wildflowers and grasses, butterflies and an assorted variety of birds (including a few quail I spotted a few days ago and some rarely seen meadowlarks), but it's now over four feet high and almost at the impossible to mow point. I keep teetering back and forth between "do I mow it now or leave it to seed and mow it in the fall when it's dry and easier to get through?" If I mow the whole darn thing now, it will be ugly for a few weeks while the grasses grow back. If I DON'T mow now, the weeds will go to seed and I'll have even MORE unwanted weeds next spring. I'm also afraid I'll take away the habitat of whatever may be living in there now: Quail, snakes, rabbits, butterflies, ground-nesting birds, etc. What a conundrum!
I actually had to get up before the sun Thursday just so I could ride. Because I knew the grass needed some mowing attention and my flower beds needed weeding and my veggies needed tending.
During the spring I hated our swimming pool because we couldn't keep the damn thing clean. These days, I'm loving it! What better way to end a hot, sweaty day working than a quick dip in those clear, cool, blue waters. Ahhh....refreshing!
Two of my guinea hens have been "setting" for just over three weeks. They are incubating...are you ready for this? Around 60 eggs! Holy guinea eggs! If they all hatch (which I seriously doubt) and live (even bigger doubt on that), what the heck am I going to do with 60 more guineas? Egads! I'm becoming the old chicken lady! We have 25 fancy, rare and ornamental week-old pullets (hens) and two Phoenix rooster chicks in the brooder in the basement. Outside we have three turkey chicks, the guineas, two ducks (yes, the others are now in the freezer, that was a non-pleasant experience), and eight grown chickens. We're almost a chicken farm!
I have a whole file of pictures I need to post. Flood pictures, chick pics, kid pics, horse pics, etc. etc. Where, or where, is my time?
Summer is so, so busy for me. By the time I get home from work, do my outside chores, play with my horses and my kids and do the inside routine, it's almost 10 p.m. and all I want to do is hit the hay! Rain rain rain and more rain has kept the pastures, field and lawns deliciously green...but also growing at an uncontrollable rate. I never thought I'd get sick of mowing...but I'm getting sick of mowing. My 8-acre field is gorgeous with a variety of colorful wildflowers and grasses, butterflies and an assorted variety of birds (including a few quail I spotted a few days ago and some rarely seen meadowlarks), but it's now over four feet high and almost at the impossible to mow point. I keep teetering back and forth between "do I mow it now or leave it to seed and mow it in the fall when it's dry and easier to get through?" If I mow the whole darn thing now, it will be ugly for a few weeks while the grasses grow back. If I DON'T mow now, the weeds will go to seed and I'll have even MORE unwanted weeds next spring. I'm also afraid I'll take away the habitat of whatever may be living in there now: Quail, snakes, rabbits, butterflies, ground-nesting birds, etc. What a conundrum!
I actually had to get up before the sun Thursday just so I could ride. Because I knew the grass needed some mowing attention and my flower beds needed weeding and my veggies needed tending.
During the spring I hated our swimming pool because we couldn't keep the damn thing clean. These days, I'm loving it! What better way to end a hot, sweaty day working than a quick dip in those clear, cool, blue waters. Ahhh....refreshing!
Two of my guinea hens have been "setting" for just over three weeks. They are incubating...are you ready for this? Around 60 eggs! Holy guinea eggs! If they all hatch (which I seriously doubt) and live (even bigger doubt on that), what the heck am I going to do with 60 more guineas? Egads! I'm becoming the old chicken lady! We have 25 fancy, rare and ornamental week-old pullets (hens) and two Phoenix rooster chicks in the brooder in the basement. Outside we have three turkey chicks, the guineas, two ducks (yes, the others are now in the freezer, that was a non-pleasant experience), and eight grown chickens. We're almost a chicken farm!
I have a whole file of pictures I need to post. Flood pictures, chick pics, kid pics, horse pics, etc. etc. Where, or where, is my time?
Monday, May 12, 2008
Not so pumped
Occasionally we hold a little get-together at our house. Invite a few friends over, toss some flesh on the grill, fill a cooler full of beer and light up a bonfire for nighttime revelry.
The Hubster decided he wants to have a BBQ/Bonfire/Pool party at the end of the month. Which is all fine and dandy. I'm all for having some friends over and just hanging out. However, in the past, even though it's typically Hubster's idea to plan the party and invite all the peeps, I get stuck with all the preparing, cleaning, cooking and shopping to make sure the party is a success. Somehow, it always works out that way. He decides he wants a party, I get to do all the grunt work to prepare for and execute said party.
Well, this time, he said he'd take care of it all. Of course, I had to bitch that I always get stuck with the work part of the party when he plans them before he stepped up to take on some of the responsibility. He promised I wouldn't have to worry about spending the night before in the kitchen prepping food or the week before steaming carpets, scrubbing floors, cleaning the house, mowing the lawn, gathering firewood, shopping, cleaning the pool and figuring out where to find more chairs and tables. GREAT! I thought, a party where I can just relax and ENJOY! I'll do a few things and let him do the rest. It's HIS party afterall.
Not so. Conveniently, he's being shipped off to Las Vegas for a work conference the week of our party. And he gets home the day before the party. So, guess who's going to get to do all the grunt work yet again? Yup. Me. *sigh* I knew this was going to happen. I KNEW it. Deep inside I knew I'd get to be the "one who makes it all happen" again.
He'd better have a really, really good reward for me when he comes back from Sin City. That's all I have to say about that.
The Hubster decided he wants to have a BBQ/Bonfire/Pool party at the end of the month. Which is all fine and dandy. I'm all for having some friends over and just hanging out. However, in the past, even though it's typically Hubster's idea to plan the party and invite all the peeps, I get stuck with all the preparing, cleaning, cooking and shopping to make sure the party is a success. Somehow, it always works out that way. He decides he wants a party, I get to do all the grunt work to prepare for and execute said party.
Well, this time, he said he'd take care of it all. Of course, I had to bitch that I always get stuck with the work part of the party when he plans them before he stepped up to take on some of the responsibility. He promised I wouldn't have to worry about spending the night before in the kitchen prepping food or the week before steaming carpets, scrubbing floors, cleaning the house, mowing the lawn, gathering firewood, shopping, cleaning the pool and figuring out where to find more chairs and tables. GREAT! I thought, a party where I can just relax and ENJOY! I'll do a few things and let him do the rest. It's HIS party afterall.
Not so. Conveniently, he's being shipped off to Las Vegas for a work conference the week of our party. And he gets home the day before the party. So, guess who's going to get to do all the grunt work yet again? Yup. Me. *sigh* I knew this was going to happen. I KNEW it. Deep inside I knew I'd get to be the "one who makes it all happen" again.
He'd better have a really, really good reward for me when he comes back from Sin City. That's all I have to say about that.
Monday, April 07, 2008
The past couple of weeks, truncated
We are slowly drying out. After a solid week of rain things are starting to look a tad drier. At least the puddles are smaller and the mud is only knee-deep now, rather than waist deep.
Oh, and the window next to MY side of the bed is leaking. Fabulous. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. All. Night. Long. It's TORTURE. It has been leaking for a couple of months (and I asked Hubby to PLEASE fix it a couple of months ago, to no avail) and we now have reason to believe it's not just a faulty window frame....it's the roof. *sigh* If it's not one freaking thing, it's another. I wonder if a couple of cans of that expanding foam crap will fix it, at least temporarily until we can get someone out to take a look and find out what's really going on up there. Damn rain.
Between the failing pond dam, the leaking window/roof, the hip-deep mud and truck-sized potholes in our driveway you'd think it was monsoon season.
It was finally dry enough Sunday that I could get out into the yard and mow without sinking the tractor up to the axles in slop. Yay!
And, if it doesn't rain today, Unruly and I will be planting tulips, daylilies and wildflowers. Double yay! I've been itching to get out and do some digging around in the dirt. I don't think my day at work will go by fast enough and all I'll be thinking about all day long is riding and planting!
I am now the mother of a 16-year-old. Someone, please say plenty of prayers for us. Actually, Wild has made enormous maturity strides in the past few months. It's almost like she's becoming human again on most days. Yes, we still have the occasional moments of monster-like mood swings, but I can deal with the occasional attitude compared to the constant foul mood we were once forced to live with. It's pleasant and she is once again, mostly pleasant to live with. We still do have that issue with the two sisters fighting and egging each other on, but I really do think it's a sibling thing. What siblings actually get along with each other while they live together? Not many. I fought with my sister constantly, now, we are best friends. One day, I hope, Wild and Unruly will figure that out and be close.
I have pictures to post, but I'm at work and my camera is not. Such is life.
Oh, and the window next to MY side of the bed is leaking. Fabulous. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. All. Night. Long. It's TORTURE. It has been leaking for a couple of months (and I asked Hubby to PLEASE fix it a couple of months ago, to no avail) and we now have reason to believe it's not just a faulty window frame....it's the roof. *sigh* If it's not one freaking thing, it's another. I wonder if a couple of cans of that expanding foam crap will fix it, at least temporarily until we can get someone out to take a look and find out what's really going on up there. Damn rain.
Between the failing pond dam, the leaking window/roof, the hip-deep mud and truck-sized potholes in our driveway you'd think it was monsoon season.
It was finally dry enough Sunday that I could get out into the yard and mow without sinking the tractor up to the axles in slop. Yay!
And, if it doesn't rain today, Unruly and I will be planting tulips, daylilies and wildflowers. Double yay! I've been itching to get out and do some digging around in the dirt. I don't think my day at work will go by fast enough and all I'll be thinking about all day long is riding and planting!
I am now the mother of a 16-year-old. Someone, please say plenty of prayers for us. Actually, Wild has made enormous maturity strides in the past few months. It's almost like she's becoming human again on most days. Yes, we still have the occasional moments of monster-like mood swings, but I can deal with the occasional attitude compared to the constant foul mood we were once forced to live with. It's pleasant and she is once again, mostly pleasant to live with. We still do have that issue with the two sisters fighting and egging each other on, but I really do think it's a sibling thing. What siblings actually get along with each other while they live together? Not many. I fought with my sister constantly, now, we are best friends. One day, I hope, Wild and Unruly will figure that out and be close.
I have pictures to post, but I'm at work and my camera is not. Such is life.
Monday, March 10, 2008
I think I'll keep him
I called the TV show lady and said "Thanks, but no thanks." Not only did I NOT want to appear on a television talk show with my family in front of millions, do you have any idea what a pain in the butt it would be to try to find someone on short notice to take care of all of our critters while we gallavant around New York? Yeah, not going to happen.
So, don't look for us on Tyra any time soon!
Have I mentioned lately how much I love my hubby? Oh, what a great guy he is! Saturday morning we got up and discovered the front tire on my truck was flat. Brand new tire...flat. Dammit. Those tires are HUGE, by the way. Now, don't get me wrong, I can change my own tire without a hitch. I've changed plenty. But the problem is, I really didn't want to. Those tires are HUGE! And heavy. And the spare was all nestled up snugly beneath the bed, where scooting around beneath the truck on my back would have been required.
My hubby, my darling computer geek of a husband, slid right under my truck, in the mud and grass and gravel, retrieved the spare and changed my stinkin' flat tire for me. What a gem. What a keeper!
Now I have a flat tire in the bed of my truck waiting to be repaired or replaced. I sure hope it can be repaired. I don't exactly have and extra $130 floating around at the moment to replace the stinkin' tire. Especially with the pasture needing reseeding, the driveway gravelled, new fencing installed and a barn/run-in to build. If it's not one thing, it's another.
So, don't look for us on Tyra any time soon!
Have I mentioned lately how much I love my hubby? Oh, what a great guy he is! Saturday morning we got up and discovered the front tire on my truck was flat. Brand new tire...flat. Dammit. Those tires are HUGE, by the way. Now, don't get me wrong, I can change my own tire without a hitch. I've changed plenty. But the problem is, I really didn't want to. Those tires are HUGE! And heavy. And the spare was all nestled up snugly beneath the bed, where scooting around beneath the truck on my back would have been required.
My hubby, my darling computer geek of a husband, slid right under my truck, in the mud and grass and gravel, retrieved the spare and changed my stinkin' flat tire for me. What a gem. What a keeper!
Now I have a flat tire in the bed of my truck waiting to be repaired or replaced. I sure hope it can be repaired. I don't exactly have and extra $130 floating around at the moment to replace the stinkin' tire. Especially with the pasture needing reseeding, the driveway gravelled, new fencing installed and a barn/run-in to build. If it's not one thing, it's another.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
A "wow" moment
Some of you know I also write a column/blog for the paper I work for. Awhile ago I wrote about parents who spend an insane amount of money on clothes for their kids and that I just don't see the point in it. Anyway...I received this last night in my work email:
Hi Jennifer,
I read an article of yours in the Belleville News Democrat re: designer clothes for kids. We’re doing a show on Tuesday about a child who has a personal stylists. We’re bringing on families who spend exorbitant amounts of money on parties, clothes, hair cuts, etc. We are looking for a family to come on and represent the other side- the ones who see it all around them and feel the pressure but don’t succumb. If you and your husband are interested, I would like to discuss the show with you. Please call me in the office at (redacted). Thanks!
Julie A. Ruggiero
The Tyra Banks Show
226 West 26th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10001
Kind of cool, but at the same time, I know she probably sent out hundreds of emails looking for parents like us. I'll give her a call, but I know how those shows can be and I'm not ALL that willing to put my family on the chopping block.
Opinions?
Hi Jennifer,
I read an article of yours in the Belleville News Democrat re: designer clothes for kids. We’re doing a show on Tuesday about a child who has a personal stylists. We’re bringing on families who spend exorbitant amounts of money on parties, clothes, hair cuts, etc. We are looking for a family to come on and represent the other side- the ones who see it all around them and feel the pressure but don’t succumb. If you and your husband are interested, I would like to discuss the show with you. Please call me in the office at (redacted). Thanks!
Julie A. Ruggiero
The Tyra Banks Show
226 West 26th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10001
Kind of cool, but at the same time, I know she probably sent out hundreds of emails looking for parents like us. I'll give her a call, but I know how those shows can be and I'm not ALL that willing to put my family on the chopping block.
Opinions?
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Another freakin' ice day
Again I am home on a work day. Ice, ice, ice. Everywhere. The kids are home. The Hubby is home and I'm trying to get some work done while listening to the dogs harass the cats, the kids harass each other and the Hubster getting on to the dogs and the kids for being loud and bratty.
I need a real home office. With a door lock. And sound proofing.
I need a real home office. With a door lock. And sound proofing.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Morning excitement
Words you DON'T want to hear from your 7-year-old at 6:30 a.m.:
"Mom! What is that?!"
"What is what?"
"Oh GROSS! It's something dead and Akasha's playing with it. EWWWW!! There's a dead animal in the living room!"
And dead it was. Good 'n dead. Seems the dog, once again, found the road kill 'coon we've been regularly tossing back into the woods for over a month and hauled that rotting carcass into the house while I wasn't looking.
Moms get the grossest jobs...like wiping butts, mopping up puke and picking up rotting dead 'coons off the living room carpet at 6:30 in the morning before coffee.
"Mom! What is that?!"
"What is what?"
"Oh GROSS! It's something dead and Akasha's playing with it. EWWWW!! There's a dead animal in the living room!"
And dead it was. Good 'n dead. Seems the dog, once again, found the road kill 'coon we've been regularly tossing back into the woods for over a month and hauled that rotting carcass into the house while I wasn't looking.
Moms get the grossest jobs...like wiping butts, mopping up puke and picking up rotting dead 'coons off the living room carpet at 6:30 in the morning before coffee.
Friday, December 28, 2007
The final straw
As many of you know, Wild is my stepdaughter. Her mother has been pretty much absent from her life since I've been around, about 10 years. Every couple of years she'd pop back in to her life, make a phone call or two, make promises and break them, then pop back out of her life again leaving us to clean up the emotional mess.
A few months ago she resurfaced, wanting to "get to know" the daughter she never showed any interest in before. I had my doubts, my trepidations, but being the child of a father who pretty much did the same thing to me, I put those fears and doubts aside and encouraged Wild to try to develop a relationship with her Egg Donor. Everything seemed to be going okay, she was calling fairly regularly and Wild seemed happy about it.
The Egg Donor requested Christmas with Wild, which I wasn't thrilled about. I had a bad, bad feeling about it, but I kept my feelings to myself and stepped out of the way. I'm just the stepmom and I'm not going to be a roadblock in any relationship they might want to try to pursue. The Egg Donor is her mom, regardless of her crappy status, and I don't want Wild to have the same regrets I did when my dad died.
So, the pickup date was scheduled for the morning of Dec. 21. Wild was going to be gone until Dec. 31. She was going to spend that time getting to know the Egg Donor better. She did her laundry, cleaned her room, packed her suitcase and waited for the Egg Donor to arrive to pick her up.
Still, I had my doubts. I didn't want to have doubts, but I did. This woman does not have a good track record. She is not reliable nor is she responsible. But I kept my mouth shut.
The afternoon of Dec. 21 arrived and still no Egg Donor. A call was made, a conversation had. She hadn't even left her home state of Texas yet. Promises were made that she would be there by the evening of Dec. 22.
Dec. 22 comes and goes. No Egg Donor, more excuses.
Dec. 23, the same. No Egg Donor, more excuses. Wild was understandably hurt and angry yet still clinging to the last shreds of hope that the Egg Donor would come through and make her word good. Clinging to the hope that just once she would follow through on her promises.
Christmas Eve day. No Egg Donor. No calls. Nothing. Have I mentioned that I did very, very little Christmas shopping for Wild because she wasn't going to be her Christmas morning? I intended to take advantage of the after-Christmas sales for gifts to open when she came home on Dec. 31. This was not going to be a good Christmas for her. And I feel responsible.
10:30 Christmas Eve. Still no Egg Donor. Still no calls. Wild had been calling the Egg Donor's cell phone every half an hour, just to get a status check. All calls went unanswered.
My worst fears were realized. The Egg Donor wasn't coming. We would have to have to talk to Wild and ease her through the incredible disappointment, the anger, the sadness.
Once again we are left to clean up the emotional mess the Egg Donor made.
She was most angry with herself for believing that this time it would be different. She said she felt so stupid, so gullible for having hoped the Egg Donor would keep her promises this time. She cried. Oh, she cried. And my heart broke for this girl who only wanted to get to know this stranger who birthed her a little better.
I know how she feels, I know the anger and the heartbreak, the disappointment and the feeling of rejection. All the things I didn't want her to feel. All the things I wish I could have sheltered her from.
The Egg Donor drove the final nail into her own relationship coffin with Wild this time. I don't think there is going to be any coming back from this one.
Good riddance. And all I have to say is: "Stay away from my daughter, you bitch."
A few months ago she resurfaced, wanting to "get to know" the daughter she never showed any interest in before. I had my doubts, my trepidations, but being the child of a father who pretty much did the same thing to me, I put those fears and doubts aside and encouraged Wild to try to develop a relationship with her Egg Donor. Everything seemed to be going okay, she was calling fairly regularly and Wild seemed happy about it.
The Egg Donor requested Christmas with Wild, which I wasn't thrilled about. I had a bad, bad feeling about it, but I kept my feelings to myself and stepped out of the way. I'm just the stepmom and I'm not going to be a roadblock in any relationship they might want to try to pursue. The Egg Donor is her mom, regardless of her crappy status, and I don't want Wild to have the same regrets I did when my dad died.
So, the pickup date was scheduled for the morning of Dec. 21. Wild was going to be gone until Dec. 31. She was going to spend that time getting to know the Egg Donor better. She did her laundry, cleaned her room, packed her suitcase and waited for the Egg Donor to arrive to pick her up.
Still, I had my doubts. I didn't want to have doubts, but I did. This woman does not have a good track record. She is not reliable nor is she responsible. But I kept my mouth shut.
The afternoon of Dec. 21 arrived and still no Egg Donor. A call was made, a conversation had. She hadn't even left her home state of Texas yet. Promises were made that she would be there by the evening of Dec. 22.
Dec. 22 comes and goes. No Egg Donor, more excuses.
Dec. 23, the same. No Egg Donor, more excuses. Wild was understandably hurt and angry yet still clinging to the last shreds of hope that the Egg Donor would come through and make her word good. Clinging to the hope that just once she would follow through on her promises.
Christmas Eve day. No Egg Donor. No calls. Nothing. Have I mentioned that I did very, very little Christmas shopping for Wild because she wasn't going to be her Christmas morning? I intended to take advantage of the after-Christmas sales for gifts to open when she came home on Dec. 31. This was not going to be a good Christmas for her. And I feel responsible.
10:30 Christmas Eve. Still no Egg Donor. Still no calls. Wild had been calling the Egg Donor's cell phone every half an hour, just to get a status check. All calls went unanswered.
My worst fears were realized. The Egg Donor wasn't coming. We would have to have to talk to Wild and ease her through the incredible disappointment, the anger, the sadness.
Once again we are left to clean up the emotional mess the Egg Donor made.
She was most angry with herself for believing that this time it would be different. She said she felt so stupid, so gullible for having hoped the Egg Donor would keep her promises this time. She cried. Oh, she cried. And my heart broke for this girl who only wanted to get to know this stranger who birthed her a little better.
I know how she feels, I know the anger and the heartbreak, the disappointment and the feeling of rejection. All the things I didn't want her to feel. All the things I wish I could have sheltered her from.
The Egg Donor drove the final nail into her own relationship coffin with Wild this time. I don't think there is going to be any coming back from this one.
Good riddance. And all I have to say is: "Stay away from my daughter, you bitch."
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Let it snow, let it snow...wait! NO! Stop!
Snow is in the forecast again. Let me clarify. Snow is in the forecast for everyone around our region. We'll get sleet and freezing rain. Such is the beauty of living in the Mississippi Valley region. That river holds warm air over the region and the valley stays a few degrees warmer than the plains, so snow is rare. Ice is more common.
I hate ice. I hate freezing rain. I'd take four feet of snow over a slick, slippery coating of ice covering everything. Making driving treacherous and snapping power lines. Sounds fun, yes? Last year around this time we got a massive ice storm. Thousands of people were without power for not just hours, but WEEKS. Yes, weeks. Fortunately for us we were only without power for about 18 hours, and fully employed the fireplace and camp stove. Critters got water from the creek or pond and we flushed toilets with water dipped out of the swimming pool. Pioneer living at its finest! Ha!
Because we live on a back, back, back road and down a nearly half-mile driveway, we aren't exactly on the road crew's priority list. We could be stuck in the house for DAYS.
So, when the ice hits tonight, we'll be ready. We chopped, split and stacked a huge pile of firewood last weekend and we have gallon jugs of water. I have enough canned soup and food to keep us well fed for a few days and even have a few canisters of propane for the camp stove all ready to go.
But the biggest challenge of all is keeping those kids entertained during a power outage. What do you do when there's no TV? No radio? No computer or Internet? Board games keep them occupied for oh, half an hour, but what about the endless hours that follow?
So, I came up with a list of "things to do in an ice storm power outage:"
1. Encourage the kids to slide down the ice hill in a pair of cowboy boots. Laugh hysterically when they reach the bottom and realize they can't get back to the top of the hill in their slippery-soled boots.
2. Make a game of trying to pick all the frozen red berries off the bushes, one at a time. This is quite a challenge as most of the berries are frozen in a giant berry-cube.
3. Give each a roll of masking tape and have them "vacuum" the carpets with the tape. The one with the most dog hair wins!
4. Send one outside for firewood then complain they got the wrong logs. Send them back out for more. Complain again.
5. Let the dogs outside and watch them slide around the yard for awhile.
6. Play 52-card pickup with four decks of cards.
7. Play Monopoly. After about half an hour, leave for a potty break and come back wearing a ski mask. Rob the Monopoly bank and get away by sliding down the ice hill.
8. Watch the chickens skitter across the ice. Ever since a chicken ice skate? OMG! HOURS of amusement!
9. Pick the icicles off the horses.
10. Watch the songbirds try to peck at the suet block through and inch of ice. Endless laughs.
I think I'm ready! Bring it on!
I hate ice. I hate freezing rain. I'd take four feet of snow over a slick, slippery coating of ice covering everything. Making driving treacherous and snapping power lines. Sounds fun, yes? Last year around this time we got a massive ice storm. Thousands of people were without power for not just hours, but WEEKS. Yes, weeks. Fortunately for us we were only without power for about 18 hours, and fully employed the fireplace and camp stove. Critters got water from the creek or pond and we flushed toilets with water dipped out of the swimming pool. Pioneer living at its finest! Ha!
Because we live on a back, back, back road and down a nearly half-mile driveway, we aren't exactly on the road crew's priority list. We could be stuck in the house for DAYS.
So, when the ice hits tonight, we'll be ready. We chopped, split and stacked a huge pile of firewood last weekend and we have gallon jugs of water. I have enough canned soup and food to keep us well fed for a few days and even have a few canisters of propane for the camp stove all ready to go.
But the biggest challenge of all is keeping those kids entertained during a power outage. What do you do when there's no TV? No radio? No computer or Internet? Board games keep them occupied for oh, half an hour, but what about the endless hours that follow?
So, I came up with a list of "things to do in an ice storm power outage:"
1. Encourage the kids to slide down the ice hill in a pair of cowboy boots. Laugh hysterically when they reach the bottom and realize they can't get back to the top of the hill in their slippery-soled boots.
2. Make a game of trying to pick all the frozen red berries off the bushes, one at a time. This is quite a challenge as most of the berries are frozen in a giant berry-cube.
3. Give each a roll of masking tape and have them "vacuum" the carpets with the tape. The one with the most dog hair wins!
4. Send one outside for firewood then complain they got the wrong logs. Send them back out for more. Complain again.
5. Let the dogs outside and watch them slide around the yard for awhile.
6. Play 52-card pickup with four decks of cards.
7. Play Monopoly. After about half an hour, leave for a potty break and come back wearing a ski mask. Rob the Monopoly bank and get away by sliding down the ice hill.
8. Watch the chickens skitter across the ice. Ever since a chicken ice skate? OMG! HOURS of amusement!
9. Pick the icicles off the horses.
10. Watch the songbirds try to peck at the suet block through and inch of ice. Endless laughs.
I think I'm ready! Bring it on!
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Rules are rules and I'm a bitch
Wild will be 16 in a few short months, and as everyone knows, with that comes the opportunity to earn the privilege to operate a 2,000 pound killing machine.
And I'm having to stick to my guns about the rule I laid down about four years ago regarding her driving privileges. See, driving is a privilege, not a right, and teens have to earn that privilege, in my opinion. That privilege is earned with As and Bs on the report card as well as maintaining those grades while I'm the one forking out the dough for a significantly increased car insurance bill. Those privileges are also earned by showing a tad bit of responsibility for chores and personal obligations. She has fulfilled neither aspect in an effort to earn driving privileges.
Yesterday she brought home a note from the school informing us that we have to pony up $70 by next week so she can take the driving portion of driver's ed in January. The $70 includes a fee for getting a driver's license upon successful completion of the course, as well as a vision exam. Wait? Vision exam? Isn't that why I'm paying for vision insurance? Seems like a scam to me.
I reminded her of the A/B Rule. This is not the first time over the course of the last few years (and even more frequently over the past couple of months) that I've reminded her of the A/B Rule. She was pissed at me yesterday when I brought up the A/B Rule because surprise! Surprise! She doesn't have As and Bs. Not even close. She doesn't bring homework home and I've seen her studying perhaps twice the entire school year. Obviously, not much effort being made in that particular personal responsibility department
End of story, right? Bad grades = no driving/driver's license. Seems like a pretty simple equation to me.
But apparently it's not that simple. I'm having to be the bad guy in all of this and I'm starting to get the feeling that the A/B Rule is about to be tossed out by Hubby. No, he hasn't come right out and said it, but he's made some comments about it and that's the feeling I get. Needless to say, I'm NOT a happy camper about this particular turn of events.
We've discussed this, and I thought we agreed on the A/B Rule. But I guess I was wrong. And I get to be the bad guy bitch once again. Yay me.
And I'm having to stick to my guns about the rule I laid down about four years ago regarding her driving privileges. See, driving is a privilege, not a right, and teens have to earn that privilege, in my opinion. That privilege is earned with As and Bs on the report card as well as maintaining those grades while I'm the one forking out the dough for a significantly increased car insurance bill. Those privileges are also earned by showing a tad bit of responsibility for chores and personal obligations. She has fulfilled neither aspect in an effort to earn driving privileges.
Yesterday she brought home a note from the school informing us that we have to pony up $70 by next week so she can take the driving portion of driver's ed in January. The $70 includes a fee for getting a driver's license upon successful completion of the course, as well as a vision exam. Wait? Vision exam? Isn't that why I'm paying for vision insurance? Seems like a scam to me.
I reminded her of the A/B Rule. This is not the first time over the course of the last few years (and even more frequently over the past couple of months) that I've reminded her of the A/B Rule. She was pissed at me yesterday when I brought up the A/B Rule because surprise! Surprise! She doesn't have As and Bs. Not even close. She doesn't bring homework home and I've seen her studying perhaps twice the entire school year. Obviously, not much effort being made in that particular personal responsibility department
End of story, right? Bad grades = no driving/driver's license. Seems like a pretty simple equation to me.
But apparently it's not that simple. I'm having to be the bad guy in all of this and I'm starting to get the feeling that the A/B Rule is about to be tossed out by Hubby. No, he hasn't come right out and said it, but he's made some comments about it and that's the feeling I get. Needless to say, I'm NOT a happy camper about this particular turn of events.
We've discussed this, and I thought we agreed on the A/B Rule. But I guess I was wrong. And I get to be the bad guy bitch once again. Yay me.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Mess-making perfected
A few summers ago Wild, Unruly and I visited my mom in California. We had a blast, loved the mountains, loved the ocean, loved the weather. My mom and I did a lot of talking, as adults, and I left with a lot of good "child rearin'" and life advice from this seasoned veteran.
One little bit of wisdom I grabbed for myself wasn't part of any conversation between Mom and I. It was gleaned from a conversation between her and Unruly after a bath.
A preface: I have been accused of being OCD about my house. I notice when the knick-knacks on my shelves are out of whack by the slimmest margin and freak out at dust and dog hair. It's a losing battle most days. But my biggest battle has been with the young'uns about keeping the bathroom clean after bathing. Towels hung up, caps back on shampoo bottles and the bottles neatly placed back in their respective spots, toothpaste rinsed from the sink, drips wiped off the toilet seat, rugs flat, unwrinkled and unmarred by any bath-related substance of any kind. You get the idea. I'm a little OCD. And I'm okay with that.
Flashback once again to the conversation between Mom and Unruly. Mom hands a tub of baby powder and a duster-thingy to the then 3-year-old. Not a good combo in my humble opinion and just begging for a gigantic white, powdery mess. On the carpets. On the floor. On the shelves. On everything. But what do I know?
As predicted the kid starts covering her damp body with a smoky sheeth of white powder. The air is soon filled with clouds of the sweetly-scented stuff. I wait for Mom to quietly admonish her granddaughter about gently and neatly applying the powder.
And I wait. And wait.
Instead I hear this (Or close to, my memory can be a tad faulty after three years!): "Oh, that's okay, I make a big mess with the powder too! I just fling it everywhere. It gets on everything. I wasn't allowed to make a mess with the powder when I was a kid, so now that I'm all grown up, I just do what I want. I LOVE powder! Don't you?"
Of course, she made a mess. A big, white, powdery mess.
And Mom didn't flinch. Not a wince.
For the past three years Unruly has continued to make a powdery mess in the bathroom following nearly every bathing session. And I don't complain.
Because now I make a mess, too. And my head hasn't exploded yet.
One little bit of wisdom I grabbed for myself wasn't part of any conversation between Mom and I. It was gleaned from a conversation between her and Unruly after a bath.
A preface: I have been accused of being OCD about my house. I notice when the knick-knacks on my shelves are out of whack by the slimmest margin and freak out at dust and dog hair. It's a losing battle most days. But my biggest battle has been with the young'uns about keeping the bathroom clean after bathing. Towels hung up, caps back on shampoo bottles and the bottles neatly placed back in their respective spots, toothpaste rinsed from the sink, drips wiped off the toilet seat, rugs flat, unwrinkled and unmarred by any bath-related substance of any kind. You get the idea. I'm a little OCD. And I'm okay with that.
Flashback once again to the conversation between Mom and Unruly. Mom hands a tub of baby powder and a duster-thingy to the then 3-year-old. Not a good combo in my humble opinion and just begging for a gigantic white, powdery mess. On the carpets. On the floor. On the shelves. On everything. But what do I know?
As predicted the kid starts covering her damp body with a smoky sheeth of white powder. The air is soon filled with clouds of the sweetly-scented stuff. I wait for Mom to quietly admonish her granddaughter about gently and neatly applying the powder.
And I wait. And wait.
Instead I hear this (Or close to, my memory can be a tad faulty after three years!): "Oh, that's okay, I make a big mess with the powder too! I just fling it everywhere. It gets on everything. I wasn't allowed to make a mess with the powder when I was a kid, so now that I'm all grown up, I just do what I want. I LOVE powder! Don't you?"
Of course, she made a mess. A big, white, powdery mess.
And Mom didn't flinch. Not a wince.
For the past three years Unruly has continued to make a powdery mess in the bathroom following nearly every bathing session. And I don't complain.
Because now I make a mess, too. And my head hasn't exploded yet.
Friday, November 23, 2007
A decade of deception
My husband has been keeping a secret from me for 10 years.
He has slyly disguised the fact that the man...he can cook. Boy, can he cook! When I first met him he tricked me into believing he could burn boiling water. He and Wild had been living on nothing but Hamburger Helper and mac-and-cheese for years.
I believed him. I felt pity for them for having only Hamburger or Tuna Helper gracing their plates, night after night. I took it upon myself to create balanced, nutrious, homemade meals every night. No more boxed meals. No more powdered ingredients. Each evening I slaved to prepare delicious meals with only fresh, wholesome ingredients.
I have been bamboozled. I feel used. Turns out he can make cheesecakes like no one's business. I'm not kidding...you could sell these things to a gourmet restaurant and no one would know they were made by a man who claimed to only be able to burn water.
I caved for Thanksgiving dinner and made a turkey. Hey, when the kids beg for turkey, momma listens. I baked a small one, but it was a turkey nonetheless. With the fixins. And he agreed to make dessert. I was honestly prepared to gag his creation down and heap praise upon him if necessary just to reward his effort.
Turns out, it wasn't necessary to gag it down. And the praise, it was all real and exceedingly gushing. He made a pumpkin cheesecake and a chocolate cheesecake. Oh. My. God. Heaven on my fork. The chocolate? Orgasmic. The pumpkin? Perfectly creamy and rich.
The man isn't going to be able to use the "I can't cook," excuse any more. If he can make cheesecake, he can certainly make dinner from time to time.
He has slyly disguised the fact that the man...he can cook. Boy, can he cook! When I first met him he tricked me into believing he could burn boiling water. He and Wild had been living on nothing but Hamburger Helper and mac-and-cheese for years.
I believed him. I felt pity for them for having only Hamburger or Tuna Helper gracing their plates, night after night. I took it upon myself to create balanced, nutrious, homemade meals every night. No more boxed meals. No more powdered ingredients. Each evening I slaved to prepare delicious meals with only fresh, wholesome ingredients.
I have been bamboozled. I feel used. Turns out he can make cheesecakes like no one's business. I'm not kidding...you could sell these things to a gourmet restaurant and no one would know they were made by a man who claimed to only be able to burn water.
I caved for Thanksgiving dinner and made a turkey. Hey, when the kids beg for turkey, momma listens. I baked a small one, but it was a turkey nonetheless. With the fixins. And he agreed to make dessert. I was honestly prepared to gag his creation down and heap praise upon him if necessary just to reward his effort.
Turns out, it wasn't necessary to gag it down. And the praise, it was all real and exceedingly gushing. He made a pumpkin cheesecake and a chocolate cheesecake. Oh. My. God. Heaven on my fork. The chocolate? Orgasmic. The pumpkin? Perfectly creamy and rich.
The man isn't going to be able to use the "I can't cook," excuse any more. If he can make cheesecake, he can certainly make dinner from time to time.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
If I were to place a classified ad
For rent or lease: 15-year-old know-it-all. Has perfected the eye-roll, the stomp-off, the heavy sigh of exasperation, the "you are SO stupid" look and the don't-talk-to-me glare. Doesn't eat much. In fact, rarely eats anything at all unless the main ingredient is sugar, chocolate or carbonated water. Constantly updates the "cluttered chic" look in her room. Likes to wear torn-up old clothes so shopping trips can be limited to Goodwill, thereby reducing the overalll expenses. Smells funny.
Is exceedingly talented at talking on the phone...she can rack up a $300 phone bill in less than 30 days! Pretty amazing, eh? Doesn't overtax herself with school work or chores so she remains quite healthy. Is up-to-date on all vaccinations, doctor's exams and dental work. Would rather not be home much so upkeep expenses can occasionally decrease significantly with her absence. However, the 30-minute showers and washing of just one pair of jeans at a time will cause the electric bill to rise on a regular basis.
Does require acute patience, an over-the-top sense of humor and some experience in dealing with mood extremes. A well-stocked liquor cabinet is a must.
Is exceedingly talented at talking on the phone...she can rack up a $300 phone bill in less than 30 days! Pretty amazing, eh? Doesn't overtax herself with school work or chores so she remains quite healthy. Is up-to-date on all vaccinations, doctor's exams and dental work. Would rather not be home much so upkeep expenses can occasionally decrease significantly with her absence. However, the 30-minute showers and washing of just one pair of jeans at a time will cause the electric bill to rise on a regular basis.
Does require acute patience, an over-the-top sense of humor and some experience in dealing with mood extremes. A well-stocked liquor cabinet is a must.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Can you smell it in the air?
The horses are fuzzy. The dogs are getting furrier and the chickens seem to be a bit fluffier. The air has the distinct crisp smell of fall laced with the acrid rot of leaves and dark dirt.
Wild has been complaining about the house being cold (this coming from her as she wanders through the living room in shorts, a tank top and no shoes) and I'm about ready to toss another quilt on our bed. I have a policy that the furnace does not get lit until we have consistently at or below freezing temps at night, so, if you're cold, throw on another layer. I prefer the house to be on the chilly side rather than the too toasty side and winter is usually spent in "sneak mode," as Hubby and I battle over the thermostat. He'd be happy if the house was 72-degrees year-round. I prefer the low 60s during the winter and the mid-80s in summer.
Yes, autumn weather is finally here! It's been a long time coming, that's for sure. To usher in the cooler weather we stoked a fire in the fireplace the other night, Unruly's absolutely favorite thing. Hubby got that fire going and we snugged in around the flames and just chilled. There is something so divinely comforting, and relaxing, about a crackling, blazing fire. I don't know how many times I fell asleep in front of the darn thing last year! On especially cold mornings I get all Laura Ingalls and light a fire before the girls get up in the morning so they can warm themselves while enjoying some hot chocolate. They love it, and it's kind of fun to do. Work, yes, but I love seeing Unruly's face light up with delight on a particularly chilly morning when she sees the logs burning.
I think I'm going to get a bonfire going this weekend...for no other reason than to hang around outside and enjoy it with my family. Bonfires are always matched with hotdogs and marshmallow, a few drinks and a whole lot of just relaxing and gazing at the amazing constellations hanging above us, reminding us how very tiny and insignificant we really are.
Wild has been complaining about the house being cold (this coming from her as she wanders through the living room in shorts, a tank top and no shoes) and I'm about ready to toss another quilt on our bed. I have a policy that the furnace does not get lit until we have consistently at or below freezing temps at night, so, if you're cold, throw on another layer. I prefer the house to be on the chilly side rather than the too toasty side and winter is usually spent in "sneak mode," as Hubby and I battle over the thermostat. He'd be happy if the house was 72-degrees year-round. I prefer the low 60s during the winter and the mid-80s in summer.
Yes, autumn weather is finally here! It's been a long time coming, that's for sure. To usher in the cooler weather we stoked a fire in the fireplace the other night, Unruly's absolutely favorite thing. Hubby got that fire going and we snugged in around the flames and just chilled. There is something so divinely comforting, and relaxing, about a crackling, blazing fire. I don't know how many times I fell asleep in front of the darn thing last year! On especially cold mornings I get all Laura Ingalls and light a fire before the girls get up in the morning so they can warm themselves while enjoying some hot chocolate. They love it, and it's kind of fun to do. Work, yes, but I love seeing Unruly's face light up with delight on a particularly chilly morning when she sees the logs burning.
I think I'm going to get a bonfire going this weekend...for no other reason than to hang around outside and enjoy it with my family. Bonfires are always matched with hotdogs and marshmallow, a few drinks and a whole lot of just relaxing and gazing at the amazing constellations hanging above us, reminding us how very tiny and insignificant we really are.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
A week in review, truncated
Wow, has it really been more than a week since I last posted? Talk about time flying and just barely being able to keep up!
Hectic, in a single word, describes my life for the past week. Re-organization at work is giving me ulcers, respiratory issues and a doctor visit for Unruly is giving me ulcers and my seemingly complete inability to just get anything done is giving me ulcers. Every day it seems like there is more crap to do and less time to do it in. Both at work and at home. Why is it I feel like I'm working many more hours a week, but not taking home a bigger check? Oh, because I am.
And to top it all off, Hubby is out of the state, again, for business. He'll be back Saturday evening-ish, and I know I shouldn't complain because he doesn't go away very often, but still...our whole routine gets thrown into massive disorder when he leaves and I just don't handle disorder of any kind well at all. I like my routines.
Every time Hubby leaves for any amount of time, Unruly suddenly decides she is no longer capable of sleeping in her own bed. She insists on sleeping with me to "keep mommy company." I admit it's nice having her there. I hate a big, empty bed and never sleep well alone. Every little noise, every little whuff the dogs make at night have me convinced there is an axe murderer standing outside my bedroom window waiting to kill me. Or a lunatic creeping around the property trying to figure out the best way to break in and torture all of us.
This time Unruly didn't just take over Hubby's spot in bed, she even went as far as to move her toothbrush, toothpaste and hair brush into the spots normally occupied by Hubby's stuff in our bathroom. She's so silly.
Hectic, in a single word, describes my life for the past week. Re-organization at work is giving me ulcers, respiratory issues and a doctor visit for Unruly is giving me ulcers and my seemingly complete inability to just get anything done is giving me ulcers. Every day it seems like there is more crap to do and less time to do it in. Both at work and at home. Why is it I feel like I'm working many more hours a week, but not taking home a bigger check? Oh, because I am.
And to top it all off, Hubby is out of the state, again, for business. He'll be back Saturday evening-ish, and I know I shouldn't complain because he doesn't go away very often, but still...our whole routine gets thrown into massive disorder when he leaves and I just don't handle disorder of any kind well at all. I like my routines.
Every time Hubby leaves for any amount of time, Unruly suddenly decides she is no longer capable of sleeping in her own bed. She insists on sleeping with me to "keep mommy company." I admit it's nice having her there. I hate a big, empty bed and never sleep well alone. Every little noise, every little whuff the dogs make at night have me convinced there is an axe murderer standing outside my bedroom window waiting to kill me. Or a lunatic creeping around the property trying to figure out the best way to break in and torture all of us.
This time Unruly didn't just take over Hubby's spot in bed, she even went as far as to move her toothbrush, toothpaste and hair brush into the spots normally occupied by Hubby's stuff in our bathroom. She's so silly.
Monday, October 08, 2007
How to waste an inordinate amount of time and have nothing to show for it
How to spend a weekend doing absolutely nothing, or, close to absolutely nothing:
1. Wake up late Saturday morning and groan and moan about getting out of bed. Eventually get out of bed and make a VERY late breakfast for the hungry whiners.
2. Step outside. Realize it's too hot to do anything. Bitch that it's too hot in October.
3. Go to Lowe's instead. Browse around for about an hour. Buy nothing.
4. Take the youngest child and the husband out to lunch. Spend an inordinate amount of time eating a VERY late lunch.
5. Get home. Take a nap on the couch. Refuse to make dinner because of the VERY late lunch.
6. Check email. Bitch about laundry not being done. Bitch about the fine layer of dog hair covering everything.
7. Wash and wax the new love of my life, the big black Dodge Ram. Revel in its ultra black shininess.
8. Get on WoW. Play with hubby until 3 a.m. Stay on for another hour after he calls it quits.
Sunday:
1. Wake up VERY, VERY late. Stayed up til 4 a.m. ya know. Playing a computer game. Because I'm a gamer geek.
2. Make breakfast for the hungry whiners.
3. Go on a house cleaning rampage to rid my domicile of the fine layer of dog hair. And dust. One thing about living in the country during harvest season: The dust - it's EVERYWHERE.
4. Go grocery shopping. By myself. Wander around the store and buy exactly everything on my list and nothing extra. I think that's a first. Probably because I left all three kids at home.
5. Take Unruly for a ride and race her around the pasture on the horses a couple of times. Let her win at least once.
6. Make dinner. Which both hungry whiners refuse to eat because it's not spaghetti, pizza or McNuggets.
7. Watch "Weeds," "Californication," and "CSI: one of those cities."
8. Get back on WoW and play for an hour.
9. Go to bed after throwing a load of wash in.
See how easy that was? A no nonsense, non busy, mostly relaxing weekend!
1. Wake up late Saturday morning and groan and moan about getting out of bed. Eventually get out of bed and make a VERY late breakfast for the hungry whiners.
2. Step outside. Realize it's too hot to do anything. Bitch that it's too hot in October.
3. Go to Lowe's instead. Browse around for about an hour. Buy nothing.
4. Take the youngest child and the husband out to lunch. Spend an inordinate amount of time eating a VERY late lunch.
5. Get home. Take a nap on the couch. Refuse to make dinner because of the VERY late lunch.
6. Check email. Bitch about laundry not being done. Bitch about the fine layer of dog hair covering everything.
7. Wash and wax the new love of my life, the big black Dodge Ram. Revel in its ultra black shininess.
8. Get on WoW. Play with hubby until 3 a.m. Stay on for another hour after he calls it quits.
Sunday:
1. Wake up VERY, VERY late. Stayed up til 4 a.m. ya know. Playing a computer game. Because I'm a gamer geek.
2. Make breakfast for the hungry whiners.
3. Go on a house cleaning rampage to rid my domicile of the fine layer of dog hair. And dust. One thing about living in the country during harvest season: The dust - it's EVERYWHERE.
4. Go grocery shopping. By myself. Wander around the store and buy exactly everything on my list and nothing extra. I think that's a first. Probably because I left all three kids at home.
5. Take Unruly for a ride and race her around the pasture on the horses a couple of times. Let her win at least once.
6. Make dinner. Which both hungry whiners refuse to eat because it's not spaghetti, pizza or McNuggets.
7. Watch "Weeds," "Californication," and "CSI: one of those cities."
8. Get back on WoW and play for an hour.
9. Go to bed after throwing a load of wash in.
See how easy that was? A no nonsense, non busy, mostly relaxing weekend!
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